Flooring for refrigerator cars



Feb. 18, 1930. v. A. wALLlN FLOORING FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Jan. 9, 1928 I INVENTOR. k Q lama;

A TTORNEYJ Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNETED STATES P o Fl I VAN A. WALLIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOF. 'I O AMERICAN HAIR 85 FELT COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE FLOORING FOR REFRIGERATOR CABS Application filed January 9, 1928. Serial No. 245,585.-

The invention relates to refrigerator cars and more particularly to the flooring construction thereof.

Due to the fact that the floors of refrigerator cars, unlike the walls and roof, are subjected to excessive moisture, a satisfactory insulation construction presents a difiicult problem. During recent years the excessive moisture condition to which the flooring has been subjected is aggravated by the custom of shipping fish, vegetables and other perishable products covered with chopped or broken ice so that the ice used to maintain the low temperatures is not held in the ice chambers of the car but is spread about over the load in such a manner that the water resulting from the melting ice forms a considerable body on the floor of the car and if the flooring is not water-tight this excess moisture drains down into the insulating material.

While efforts have been made to render the flooring water-proof, as by asphalting the surfaces and by lining with water-proof fabric to prevent leakage to the insulating material underneath, experience has proven that such water-proofing is but temporary and cannot be maintained, either due to cracks developing from the racking of the car from use, or from puncturing the floor with nails and spikes used in building crates or racks on the interior of the car. The excess moisture which comes from the interior of the car gathers in and around the insulating material with a result that the efficiency of the insulation is seriously impaired and the material is subject to deterioration.

The object of the present invention is to provide a floor construction which will permit the moisture, once it has leaked through. the planking of the car floor onto the insulating material, to rapidly drain away or evaporate and thus restore the insulating material to its original condition.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter described and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of the flooring construction embodying the invention, parts being broken away to show its interior construction.

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical sectional view rial, such as a rust-proof heavy wire mesh fabric or other suitable foraminous or inter,- stitlal material. J

As shown, the support or subfloorlO is laid upon the joists 5 and the insulating material 8 is laid over this subfloor and the top planking 7 is securedto sill members 4 and to the furring strips 9, by spikes or other suitable fastening means, which are in turn secured to the joints 5, by spikes or other suitable fastening means, and assist in holding the subfloor 10 in position. This subfloor may itself be spiked down upon the joists 5 and to strips 11 secured to the sills. noted that the insulating material extends under the entire top floor of the car. I

The top floor, of course, may be treated to render it as waterproof as'possible but when, as eventually occurs, leakage develops the excess moisture will be free to pass through the insulating material and drain out through the openings in the subfloor or to evaporate from the material, thus restoring its original insulating properties and preventing its rapid deterioration. Furthermore, the leakage will not spread all over the insulating material but will tend to run directly through from the point of entrance to the nearest space immediately below that of entrance.

While I have mentioned wire mesh fabric for the subfloor, I desire it to be understood that interstitial flooring, made up of strips of wood or metal or other suitable interstitial floor constructions may be used and that the invention is not to be limited to any particu- It will also be lar arrangement or construction of parts ex- 7 ceptas the same are specified in the claims.

ready drying of said material.

. z I 1 V r 1,747,840

I 'What I claim as my invention is: 1. In afiooring construction for refrigerator cars, the combination with the car floor frame members, of a top flooring, insulating 5 material beneath the top flooring, and an interstitial supporting flooring for the in]- sulating material, permitting i drainage through said material throughout substan tially the entire area of the floor and ready drying of said material.

2. In a flooringconstruction' for refrigerator cars, the combinationjwith the car floor frame members, of a top flooring, fibrous insulating material beneath the top flooring, and a foraminous metal subfi'oorsupporte'd upon the car ,floor members and'supporting the insulating material, and f permitting drainage through said material throughout substantially the entire area of the floorand I Ina flooring construction'for refrigerav tor cars, the combination with the car floor frame members, of atop flooring, fibrousinsulating material beneaththe top fiooring,i and a. wire mesh fabric secured .to the lower car floor members and supporting the insulatingj fmaterial and permitting drainage through'said material throughout substantiali Al ly the entirearea of the floor and ready drygoing of said material. r 4. Ina flooring construction for refrigeras .for cars, the combination with the side sills zand the spaced floor joists of the car, of a subfloor of interstitial material spanning the spaces between said joists, insulatingtmatefrial disposedv above and supported. by said subfloor, said subfloor permitting drainage through the insulating materialthroughout I V substantially the entire area thereof and ready 1 drying of saidinsulatingmaterial, and a top fiooring secured to said'si de sills and to said joists. f.

5. In a'fiooring construction for refrigerator cars, the combination with the side sills I 5 and the spaced fioorjoists of the car, of a subfioor of interstitial material spanning the spaces between said joists, fibrous insulating material disposed above and supported by said subfloor, said subfioorpermittingdrain- 5Q age through the insulatingmaterial throughout substantially the entire area thereof and ready drying'of saidinsulating material, furring strips secured to said floor joists, and; a top flooring secured to said side sills and to said furring strips with insulating material interposed'between said stripsand top floorlng.

. V In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature. Q IVAN A, V y 

